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AN IMPROVED AND PRACTICAL METHOD OF PACKING 
FISH FOR TRANSPORTATION 

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By A. Soiling 

Commissioiuy to the Ddiii^h Goiriumoi! Fisiicricx Di f^aiinuuf, London, Emjland 

Paper presented before the Fourth International Fishery Congress 
held at Washington, U. S. A., September 22 to 26, 1908 



BULLETIN OF Ti IE BUREAU OF FISHERIFS :::::: VOL. XXVIII. P. 295-301 
Document Nu. 659 :::::::::::::::::::; Issued February. 1910 



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AN IMPROVED AND PRACTICAL METHOD OF PACKING FISH 

FOR TRANSPORTATION. 



Hy A. S()I.I,INC., 
Commi-ssioiitT to the Dunish (Ju-xritmcii/ I'tilnriii Pifyailmi >i/, London, linqlanii. 



It was about forty years ago that ice was with good result first used on 
board English fishing ships for packing fish. Before that time fishing ships 
made only short voyages, to insure the fish reaching market in a good condition. 
But it was necessary to bring in the best and firmest fish onlv, tliose that could 
be kept fresh the longest time, such as soles, turbot, brill, and halibut, which 
iish retain the name of "prime fish." Other kinds of fish, such as plaice, cod, 
and haddock, could not be brought in, as they would not keep, and so had 
to be thrown overboard as useless. 

In the eighties, when steam trawlers were introduced for fishing purposes, 
the fishermen went away for ten to fourteen days, sometimes three weeks, for 
their catch, and it was then necessary (o make pro\-ision on l)oard for a large 
ciuantit}' of ice, so that the catch might reach port in good condition. In spite 
of this precaution, however, a large quantity of fish caught at the commence- 
ment of the voyage was, and is still, landed in a very poor and stale condition, 
especially during the heat of the summer. People seem to enjoy iced fish, e\en 
though it has lost its flavor, believing that there is no possibility of procuring 
it otherwise. But when they have once tasted good fresh fish, cooked imme- 
diately after being caught and killed, they lose their taste for iced fish at once. 

It was after seeing the poor treatment to which fish is exposed in England, 
from the moment it is caught — carried in ice in the trawler's hold, discharged 
and repacked, and finally laid out on the fishmonger's marble slab, occasionally 
being sprinkled with lukewarm water to make it shine — that I was led to experi- 
ment for a means of packing fish for transportation and keeping it in a better 
and sounder condition. 

Many different experiments have lieen made in an effort to find the best 
and most practical means of keeping fish fresh and sound for a lengthened period, 
but all. these methods, whether with or without the use of chemicals, have been 
found wanting in efficiency, the fish losing its fine appearance, and more especially 
its flavor. 

-"97 



298 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 

Freezing is a good and sound method of preserving, but it is difficult to keep 
the fish frozen in hot weather on long distances, us for instance on railway jour- 
neys. ^Moreover, on being thawed the fish lose their flavor, and they soon 
decompose on exposure to the deleterious influence of the air. Packing in ice 
is a method in very general use for transportation, but as the fish is constantly 
in close contact with the ice and ice water this method also has disadvantages. 
The idea in using ice is, of course, to keep the temperature low, thereby pre- 
venting decomposition as long as possible. But the exposure to ice and ice 
water destroys the flavor of the fish; they become stale, and when exposed to 
the air they quickly decompose, especially during mild weather. 

The chief thing to be kept in view in preserving food is to kec]) it as free 
as possible from harmful bacteria and from the surrounding air charged there- 
with. It is, furthermore, necessary to prevent the ice water, which is also 
more or less full of bacteria, from coming into direct contact with the fish, but 
at the same time using the low temperature produced by the ice to prevent 
the further development of the bacteria invariably contained in the fish. 

In using my method of wrapping fish in improved fish-wrapping paper 
and afterwards laying it in crushed ice. the latter in pieces about the size of a 
walnut, the air is excluded and the ice water prevented from coming in direct 
contact with the fish. The low temperature of the ice is acting directly on the 
fish through the paper, and by these means the fish is kept sweet and fresh for 
a longer period than is otherwise possible, the bacteria of decomposition being 
thus prevented from developing. 

The chief point to be observed in this method of packing fish is that the 
fish be gutted and bled and the gills cut out as soon as possible after the fish 
are caught. The sound, found in some species, must be cut lengthwise to insure 
the removal of all blood particles underneath. Further, the fish should be cut 
open so far behind the vent that all accumulations of blood may be easily 
removed. They are then washed and scrubbed inside and out with a stiff 
brush in clean salt water, or in a solution of fresh water with 4 to 5 per cent 
of salt, until all blood specks have been removed, then they are laid aside for 
a short while to allow the blood and water to drain oft", and very special care 
must here be taken that no water be left remaining on the inside. F,ach fish 
is then carefully wrapped in the wrapping paper, which is cut square, each 
dimension being at least one and a half times the length of the fish. 

To wrap, place the fish across the nearest corner of the sheet, roll it over 
very lirmlv, turn in the two side corners, and roll the package over again imtil 
the fourth corner is reached, then tie with a piece of twine. 

Objection might be raised that too much trouble is involved in treating 
fish in the above manner, and that it takes too much time. But the time, 



METHOD OF PACKI\G FISH FOR TKANSI'ORTATION. 299 

trouble, and srrall expense ineurred are very soon repaid by the higher prices 
which are obtainalile for the fish, owing to their far better appearance, and to 
tile very important fact that they will keep fresh after fish that have been 
treated in the old way have spoiled. The fishmonger, too, will soon find his 
profit in having for sale fish which not being sold to-day will turn out just as 
fresh eight or fourteen days hence, even in the hottest weather. It niav be 
remarked that all kinds of fish may not profitablv be treated according to this 
method, but prime fish, such as soles, turbot, brill, halibut, and haddock, per- 
haps cod and plaice, will fetch a much higher market price if so treated. 

The more expensive fresh-water fish, such as salmon, carp, and trout, are 
always shipped in ice without l)eing gutted, but even thev would have a far 
better appearance if wrapped in this paper instead of being exposed to the 
influence of air and ice water. I would here, however, draw attention to the 
fact that the fundamental feature of my method of wrapping fish is that the 
fish be gutted, that the entrails and the gills be removed, and the fish thoroughly 
washed. 

The first important experiment with the method here presented was carrierl 
out in October, 1905. The necessary fish were caught by special permission of 
the Danish Government in the steamer Tlior, which otherwise was engaged in 
international sea investigations. For the purpose of comparison the fish were 
packed in four different ways: 

1. Gutted, wrapped in i)aper, and laid in ice. 

2. Not gutted, wrapped in paper, and laid in ice. 

3. Gutted and, without paper, laid in ice. 

4. Not gutted and, without paper, laid in ice. 

Altogether 147 fish were packed in these different ways. The flat fish 
included soles, turbot, brill, plaice, lemon soles, and whitches; the round fish 
were haddock, cod, whiting, hake, and gournard. 

On October 6 and 7 the fish were packed, and on October 17 the method 
was explained and specimens of the different kinds of fish were shown to people 
interested, including press representatives, fishmongers, and others well ac- 
quainted with such matters. The following results were revealed: 

1. The fish gutted and wrapped in paper and ice were jierfectly white and 
firm, without any smell whatever, the skin was not discolored, and most of the 
fish had retained the stiffness of death. 

2. The fish not gutted but wrapped in paper and ice were in most cases 
damaged in the inside. 

3 and 4. The fish gutted and not gutted (round) and not wrapped in paper 
but placed in direct contact with air and ice water were soft and stale and the 
skin discolored. 



300 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 

On October 21, fifteen days after having been wrapped, some of the iish 
packed under method no. i were taken ont and examined. Seven different 
kinds, after being boiled, were found perfectly fresh and to have retained their 
flavor in full. 

Another test, the following spring, gave results as follows: 

On March 26, 1906, 3 halibut weighing about 2 stone each were packed in 
Grimsbv, according to my method, and the same day sent by steamer to Copen- 
hagen in a box containing ice. To afford a comparison, a fourth halibut, treated 
exactly as the others except that it was not wrapped in paper, was inclosed in 
the same box. 

On April 9, after having been wrapped up for fourteen days the first halibut 
was taken out, and I was informed (not being present myself) that it was found 
perfectly fresh and without any discoloring of the skin at all. The halibut 
which had not been wrapped in the paper and therefore had remained in direct 
contact with the ice was discolored on the skin and was quite stale. 

On April 20, after being wrapped for twenty-five days, the second halibut 
was taken out in the presence of several well-known gentlemen, when I also 
was present. It was found fresh, firm, and white in the flesh, and, after being 
cooked, to have retained its full flavor. 

On April 26, after being wrapped for thirty-one days, the third and last 
halibut was taken out, and found to l)e firm and white and also without any 
discoloring of the skin. It was tasted by several people, myself included, and 
found to have retained its full flavor. 

A third practical experiment was carried out by order of the Royal Green- 
land Trading Company, of Copenhagen. Thirty-nine halibut caught in Davis 
Strait were treated according to my method on August 12, 1906, and forwarded 
in boxes filled with ice in the steamer Hans Egcde, which landed them at Peter- 
head on September i. The fish, in tlie boxes, were sent by rail to Grimsby, 
where they arrived in splendid condition and were sold on September 3, fetching 
a comparatively high price. 

Upon the basis of the different experiments, I can safely affirm tliat by 
wrapping fish in this manner and treating them as described they can be kept 
fresh for a much longer period than is possible by the old method. Further, in 
consequence, the fish will prove to be a far better and more healthy food when 
treated in this manner than when kept in direct contact with air and ice water. 

I would mention in conclusion that my method of packing need not be 
limited to fish. Meat also will keep during the hottest weather when wrapped 
up perfectly fresh and laid in ice; and for experiment lobsters boiled in Canada 
have Ijeen sent to London. After being boiled and cooked, the lobsters were 
wrapped in the paper and sent in cases with ice, as a result retaining their full 
flavor for about fourteen days. 



METHOD OK PACKING FISH FOR TRANSPORT ATION. 301 

The paper I use is called vegetable parchment, but I prefer to call it simply 
fish wrapping ])a]ier, for by employing this name I am able to retard the use of 
bad imitations with the consequent poor result and possibly damage to the 
reputation of my improved method of packing. The paper is at present to be 
had only in London. It is of two weights, the heavier parchment a dark 
lirownish gray, the lighter weight a yellowish brown. The dark heavy paper, 
for wrapping large fish such as halibut, will shortly be made in sheets 5 feet 
square. The yellow paper, for wrapping smaller fish, is to be had in sheets 
2S inches square. 



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